A booming economy means a bursting trauma system: association between hospital admission for major injury and indicators of economic activity in a large Canadian health region

BACKGROUND

Injury epidemiology fluctuates with economic activity in many countries. These relationships remain unclear in Canada.

METHODS

The annual risk of admission for major injury (Injury Severity Score ≥12) to a high-volume, level-1 Canadian trauma center was compared with indicators of economic activity over a 16-year period using linear regression.

RESULTS

An increased risk of injured patient admissions was associated with rising mean gross domestic product (GDP [millions of chained 2002 dollars]) (.36 person increase per 100,000 population/$1,000 increase in GDP; P = .001) and annual gasoline prices (.47 person increase per 100,000 population/cent increase in gasoline price; P = .001). Recreation-related vehicle injuries were also associated with economic affluence. The risk of trauma patient mortality with increasing mean annual GDP (P = .72) and gasoline prices (P = .32) remained unchanged.

CONCLUSION

Hospital admissions for major injury, but not trauma patient mortality, were associated with economic activity in a large Canadian health care region.